|
Sit Up Straight for a Bad Back? |
|
|
|
|
Written by Superhuman
|
|
Wednesday, 23 January 2008 |
|
Your first-grade teacher told you to sit up straight in your chair to prevent back pain and promote good posture. That advice may have promoted back pain in generations of school kids.
Scottish researchers found that a reclining posture (135°) caused less spinal pressure than sitting upright (90°) or sitting hunched forward. The researchers concluded that leaning back while sitting and opening the angle between the thighs and the back produced less spinal pressure than sitting up straight. Researchers used a FONAR Positional MRI scanner to determine the best seating position to prevent back pain. This device allowed the scientists to get an accurate view of the stresses on the spinal discs in a variety of postures. Standard MRIs examine patients lying on their backs. This study may help engineers develop seats and chairs that reduce spinal pressure when sitting in trucks, cars and at office desks. Sitting in a reclining position is easier on the back than sitting up straight. (Press release FONAR Corp., Nov. 28, 2006)
|
